Saw horse construction

ABSTRACT

A structure for supporting a cross member to form a saw horse comprises a pair of bracket assemblies that are welded together to form a housing or socket having a slot that receives an end of the cross member. Legs are pivotally connected to the housing and project outwardly therefrom for engagement with the floor surface. A like pair of bracket assemblies are welded together to form a housing that supports the other end of the cross member, and additional legs are pivotally connected to that other housing. Braces extend between the corresponding legs that extend respectively from the housings. The arrangement provides a foldable saw horse sub-structure that is rigid and non-wobbling.

Larson States atet 1 [52] US. Cl 182/153, 182/181, 182/225 [51] int. Cl. F16m ll/00 [58] Field of Search ..182/153,181,185,182, 182/183, 184, 224, 225, 227

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,828,165 3/1958 Harter 182/153 2,889,176 6/1959 Thompson 182/185 2,981,366 4/1961 Gutting 182/185 3,042,144 7/1962 Larson 182/185 3,045,777 7/1962 Dintelmann 182/153 3,480,111 11/1969 Larson 182/181 1 Jan.7,1975

Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado Attorney, Agent, or FirmOlson, Trexler, Wolters, Bushnell & Fosse, Ltd.

[57] ABSTRACT A structure for supporting a cross member to form a saw horse comprises a pair of bracket assemblies that are welded together to form a housing or socket having a slot that receives an end of the cross member. Legs are pivotally connected to the housing and project outwardly therefrom for engagement with the floor surface. A like pair of bracket assemblies are welded together to form a housing that supports the other end of the cross member, and additional legs are pivotally connected to that other housing. Braces extend between the corresponding legs that extend respectively from the housings. The arrangement provides a foldable saw horse sub-structure that is rigid and non-wobbling.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SAW HORSE CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Reference may be had to my US. Pat. No. 3,656,581 for background material.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved structure for supporting a cross member that is used therewith to form a saw horse or the like.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a structure of the type stated which has support brackets and legs attached thereto and which provides a rigid sub-structure for supporting the cross member of the saw horse.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a structure of the type stated which is easily assembled, is relatively inexpensive to produce, and yet prevents wobble of the cross member and the sub-structure.

In accordance with the foregoing objects the structure of the present invention comprises a pair of bracket assemblies, each said bracket assembly including a main support bracket having a triangularly shaped face plate with a slot of pre-determined width extending downwardly from an apex, a shelf portion extending outwardly from a first surface of the face plate at the base of said slot, and with each main support bracket also including a pair of flanges. The flanges are inclined along opposite sides of the associated main support bracket and lie on opposite sides of the slot. The flanges on one main support bracket are in edge-wise aligned relationship with the corresponding flanges of the other main support bracket. A plate overlies each pair of aligned flanges and secures the associated pair of flanges rigidly together to form a housing defined in part by the face plates, which are spaced apart, and by the pairs of aligned flanges, which converge toward the apexes of the slots. The structure also includes a pair of auxiliary brackets each of which is associated with a main support bracket and each of which comprises a plate portion having a width substantially equal to the width of the slot and being received in the slot and permanently secured thereto to constitute an abutment for supporting an end of the cross member.

The structure also includes a pair of leg members which have end portions in the housing. The leg members each have opposed sides that closely fit adjacent to the face plates, and a web adapted to engage a pair of said aligned flanges in flush relationship therewith so that the legs project downwardly and divergently from the housing. The legs are pivotally connected to the housing by pivot-forming means that span the space between the face plates. Articulated links are pivotally connected to the leg members remote from the housing and form a brace between the legs. The legs are movable together by rotation of each leg about its pivot axis to a folded condition in which the extremities of the legs are adjacent to each other. A like structure is provided for supporting the other end of the cross member. Braces are permanently welded to the corresponding legs of the two structures and extend therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a saw horse embodying a structure in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged corner perspective view of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a structure of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail to the drawing there is shown a saw horse 10 including a lumber cross member 12 and an underframe 14 that is adapted to support the cross member 12. Underframe 14 includes similar structures 16,16 of like construction which are joined by channel braces l8, 18, as will be presently more fully described.

The structure 16 also comprises a main bracket as sembly that includes main support brackets 20,20 of like construction. Each main bracket 20 includes a generally triangular face plate 22 having sides or margins 24 of substantially equal length and with the face plate 22 preferably being initially formed as an isoseceles triangle. Each bracket also includes a rectangular opening or slot 26 of a predetermined width for purposes of receiving, in closely spaced relationship therewith, the end portion of the cross member 12. A shelf 28 is located at the base of the slot 26 and is bent to extend rearwardly from the face plate 22 substantially at right angles thereto. Also formed on each main bracket 20 at the sides 24,24 are flanges 30,30 which also extend rearwardly and perpendicularly to the face plate 22. It will be seen that the flanges 30,30 converge toward the upper apex portion of the face plate, terminating at the upper open end of the slot 26.

The flanges 30 on the adjacent bracket 20 are in edge-wise alignment and are preferably in abutting relationship. Overlying each pair of abutting flanges 30,30 is a gusset plate 32 which is welded to the associated flanges 30,30 to form a socket or housing 34. The housing 34 is defined in part by the spaced parallel face plates 22,22 and the upwardly converging pairs of flanges 30,30. The arrangement thus aligns the slots 26,26 for receiving the end of the cross member 12.

The structure 14 also includes auxiliary brackets 36,36, one each associated with each of the main brackets 20,20. Each auxiliary bracket 36 comprises a horizontal, generally rectangular plate 38 of a width substantially equal to the width of the slot 26. The forward portion 40 of the plate 38 is flush with and welded to shelf 28 while the rear portion of the plate 38 is formed with depending side flanges 42,42 which serve to rigidify the rear portion of the plate 38 and also serve to engage the face plate 22. This rear portion of the plate 38 also has a hole 44 for receiving a screw 46 that is adapted to thread into the cross member 112. Thus, the plates 38 of the respective auxiliary brackets 36,36 are in horizontal alignment to constitute an abutment for supporting an end of the cross member 12.

Adjacent to the upper open end of the slots 26,26 the plates 32 and subjacent flanges 30,30 are provided with holes that are angularly and downwardly inclined. These holes receive screws 48,48 that serve to urge the cross-member 12 into tight engagement with its supporting structure.

The structure 14 also includes a pair of leg members 50,50 that extend downwardly from each housing 34,34 as best seen in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the braces 18,18 extend between corresponding leg members 50,50 and thereby serve to rigidify the support for the cross member 12 that is provided by the housings 34,34.

The leg members are of identical construction and each is of channel shape with opposed sides 52,52 that are marginally joined by a web 54. As best seen in FIG. 3, the legs have upper end portions that are in the housing 34 and with the legs positioned such that the opposed sides 52,52 are closely adjacent to the face plates 22,22 and the web 54 is adapted to engage the associated abutting flanges 30,30. In such position, that is when the saw horse is erected and in use, a pair of leg members projects downwardly and divergentlyfrom each housing 34.

The upper end of each leg member 50 is pivotally secured to the housing 34 by a carriage bolt 56 which passes through the opposed sides 52,52 and also through the face plates 22,22. Downwardly from the housing 34 each associated pair of legs 50,50 is joined by an articulated linkage comprising a pair of links 58,60. Each link assembly 58,60 is pivotally connected at one end to a leg member 50, and at the same time the links 58,60 are pivotally connected at their adjacent ends to one another. Thus, the linkage 58,60 provides a transverse brace cooperating with the longitudinal channel braces 18,18 to help rigidify the structures supporting the cross member 12. Furthermore, the pivotally connected links are joined such that both pair of legs can be folded, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, when it is desired to collapse the saw horse for storage purposes.

The foregoing invention thus provides a structure in which the cross member 12 is snugly confined in the slot portions 26,26 of the respective housings 34,34. The angularly downwardly inclined screws 48, together with the screws 46 cooperate with the rigid housing construction and the rigiditied leg structure to provide a firm support and wobble free condition of the cross member 12.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A structure for supporting a cross member that is adapted to cooperate with said structure to form a saw horse, said structure comprising a pair of bracket assemblies, each said bracket assembly including a main support bracket having a triangularly shaped face plate with a slot of predetermined width extending downwardly from an apex in the face plate, a shelf portion extending outwardly from a first surface of said face plate at the base of said slot, each main support bracket also including a pair of flanges and with said flanges being inclined along opposed sides of the associated main support bracket and lying on opposite sides of said slot, the flanges on one main support bracket being edge-wise aligned with the corresponding flanges of the other main support bracket, a plate overlying each pair of aligned flanges and securing the associated aligned pair of flanges rigidly together to form a housing defined in part by said face plates, which are spaced apart, and by said pairs of aligned flanges which converge toward the apexes of said slots, a pair of auxiliary brackets, each one of said pair of auxiliary brackets being associated with a corresponding main support bracket and each comprising a plate portion having a width substantially equal to the width of said slot and being received in said slot and being permanently secured to the associated main support bracket such that the plate portions are parts of said housing and are in alignment to constitute an abutment for supporting an end of said cross member, a pair of leg members having end portions in said housing, said leg members each having opposed sides that closely fit adjacent to said face plates and a web adapted to engage a pair of said aligned flanges in flush relation therewith so that said legs project downwardly and divergingly from said housing and the engagement of the legs with said housing provides a rigid support for an end of said cross member on said abutment, pivot-forming means spanning the space between said face plates for pivotally supporting said end portions of said leg members, and links pivotally connected to said leg members remote from said housing, said links being in articulated connection and forming a brace between said legs, said legs being movable together by rotation of each leg about its associated pivot means to a folded condition of said structure in which the extremities of the legs opposite to their pivotal connection are adjacent to each other.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in combination with a like structure, and braces permanently secured to corresponding legs of the two structures and extending therebetween.

3. A structure according to claim 1 in which said plate portions of said auxiliary brackets are in edgewise abutting relation. 

1. A structure for supporting a cross member that is adapted to cooperate with said structure to form a saw horse, said structure comprising a pair of bracket assemblies, each said bracket assembly including a main support bracket having a triangularly shaped face plate with a slot of predetermined width extending downwardly from an apex in the face plate, a shelf portion extending outwardly from a first surface of said face plate at the base of said slot, each main support bracket also including a pair of flanges and with said flanges being inclined along opposed sides of the associated main support bracket and lying on opposite sides of said slot, the flanges on one main support bracket being edge-wise aligned with the corresponding flanges of the other main support bracket, a plate overlying each pair of aligned flanges and securing the associated aligned pair of flanges rigidly together to form a housing defined in part by said face plates, which are spaced apart, and by said pairs of aligned flanges which converge toward the apexes of said slots, a pair of auxiliary brackets, each one of said pair of auxiliary brackets being associated with a corresponding main support bracket and each comprising a plate portion having a width substantially equal to the width of said slot and being received in said slot and being permanently secured to the associated main support bracket such that the plate portions are parts of said housing and are in alignment to constitute an abutment for supporting an end of said cross member, a pair of leg members having end portions in said housing, said leg members each having opposed sides that closely fit adjacent to said face plates and a web adapted to engage a pair of said aligned flanges in flush relation therewith so that said legs project downwardly and divergingly from said housing and the engagement of the legs with said housing provides a rigid support for an end of said cross member on said abutment, pivot-forming means spanning tHe space between said face plates for pivotally supporting said end portions of said leg members, and links pivotally connected to said leg members remote from said housing, said links being in articulated connection and forming a brace between said legs, said legs being movable together by rotation of each leg about its associated pivot means to a folded condition of said structure in which the extremities of the legs opposite to their pivotal connection are adjacent to each other.
 2. A structure according to claim 1 in combination with a like structure, and braces permanently secured to corresponding legs of the two structures and extending therebetween.
 3. A structure according to claim 1 in which said plate portions of said auxiliary brackets are in edge-wise abutting relation. 